Lou was right. These were memories that would stay with him for the rest of his life.
“Come on everyone.” Lou opened the door, and Dex waved at his brother and friends as they all walked out. Just before the door closed, his aunt Danelle walked in, the coral dress looking stunning with her dark skin.
“Hey, you’re not supposed to outshine the groom,” Dex teased.
She laughed and cupped his face. “Oh, baby, no one can outshine you. Never have, never will. Now, whatever you’re worrying about, don’t. That man of yours adores you. I know he’s going to do right by you.”
“You do?”
The twinkle of mischief in her big hazel eyes made Dex chuckle.
“Honey, if he doesn’t, he’s got me and Tony to answer to. Your man is brave, but he ain’t that brave.”
Dex let his head fall back with a laugh. He wrapped her in his arms and hugged her tight. “Thank you, Aunt Danelle. I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” She pulled away with a dainty sniff, turned him around, and smacked his butt. “Go knock his socks off.”
Dex winked at her before she headed for the door. “That comes later.”
“I SHOULD check on him. Someone needs to check on him.”
Sloane paced from one end of the sitting room to the other. It probably didn’t help that he could see out ahead into the formal garden and the rows of white chairs filled with two hundred wedding guests, and Tony standing at the gorgeous altar at the end of the stunningly decorated aisle. Lou had really outdone himself. The tangerine and turquoise were softened by the white, resulting in pops of color rather than overpowering the décor. The sky was blue, the weather perfect, and at any moment, he’d be faced with his future.
It was fine. Dex was fine. Why wouldn’t he be? Dex loved him. Loved him more than Sloane could have ever dreamed of. Dex was the most amazing man he’d ever met. Beautiful, funny, brave, kind, generous, with a heart so big there was no question why he was so loved. It was like before Dex, Sloane had been living an incomplete life. He hadn’t known he was capable of the kind of love he felt, that he could be as happy as he was. Before Dex, he was afraid to hope. He’d been broken, the pieces all put back together precariously with glue that never seemed to dry or fill the cracks properly. Then Dex came into his life, and one tiny piece at a time he took Sloane apart and pieced him together, healing the cracks and setting fire to his soul, waking up something inside Sloane.
Sloane closed his eyes, thinking of everything they’d been through together. They’d faced and survived bullets, explosions, kidnapping, torture, ghosts from their pasts. They might have stumbled along the way, but they always picked each other up and their relationship was all the stronger for it—and that was before they were bonded.
“Sloane.”
Sloane blinked up at Seb. “Hey.”
Seb put a hand on his shoulder. “Stop worrying. Dex is crazy about you. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do, or hasn’t done, for you.”
Sloane smiled and nodded. Seb was right. He hugged Seb. “Thank you.” He pulled back and found Rosa smiling, tears in her eyes. She smooth
ed down his tuxedo jacket, fixed the turquoise rosebud in his lapel. “Rosita Bonita, you look beautiful.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she replied with a sniff.
Sloane chuckled. “Thanks.” He winked at Calvin, who stepped up to him, all glassy eyes and bashful. “Come ’ere.” Sloane pulled him into a hug. “Thank you for being such a good friend.”
Calvin pulled back and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
“All right, enough crying.” Ash stepped in front of Sloane, frowning at him. “This is Daley we’re talking about. The guy’s not just nuts, but he’s nuts about you. Has been since the beginning. There’s no one out there more committed to you and your happiness than he is.”
Sloane swallowed past the lump in his throat. He pressed his lips together, and Ash gave him a pointed look.
“No. Nope. You suck that tear back in.”
Sloane laughed, his eyes welling. Ash’s bottom lip trembled, and he shook his head, refusing to give in. At least until Sloane found his voice.
“My mom might not be here, but having you with me makes it okay.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Ash crumbled and brought Sloane in for a fierce bear hug. “I fucking love you. Don’t ever, ever forget that. I might not have Arlo, but I have you. You’re my brother.”
Sloane closed his eyes against the falling tears and squeezed Ash tight. “Brothers,” Sloane agreed. No matter what, Ash would always be his family, and having him here meant the world to Sloane.
The music started, and Sloane pulled away, thanking Rosa for the tissues. Ash took a couple with a grumble. Since Ash was his best man, he had Dex’s wedding ring in his pocket. Sloane and Dex had picked out their rings together. A matching set that represented him and Dex. Two black ceramic Tiffany bands, each with a yellow gold inlay set with twenty-one black diamonds. The gleaming black band was Sloane, and the sparkling gold center inlay was his heart, Dex. But the part he loved most was the engraving inside each band.